Living a Better Story

“We live in a world where bad stories are told, stories that teach us life doesn’t mean anything and that humanity has no great purpose. It’s a good calling, then, to speak a better story.” Donald Miller in his book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years talks about what it takes to live a better story. Mark Fugate has chosen to do this through participating in the Hands of Hope annual golf outing. He has golfed in the every one of the Hands of Hope golf outings, watching both the golf outing and the Hands of Hope ministry grow, through these past 4 years.

According to Mark, “It has been a privilege to participate in the outing. The best part has been meeting others involved in the outing, especially those whose lives have been touched by adoption. I'm always humbled at the generosity from all our sponsors, and how God has used this ministry to change lives around the world. Combining a Kingdom purpose with an activity I enjoy (and a couple of cheeseburgers hot off the grill) makes for a great day. Looking forward to next year!”

The golf outing is the annual big fundraiser for Hands of Hope. In 2013 God blessed the efforts of Mark and the other golfers who, along with our corporate donors and a matching grant from Grace Community Church, allowed us to receive over $62,000. These funds will be used towards:

Matching grants and interest free loans to adoptive families in the Indianapolis area

Safe, permanent orphanage building for orphans at Faith in Deeds in India

Sheets and pillowcases for disabled boy orphans at Romaniv in Ukraine

Transitional housing for orphans at Exodo in El Salvador

Chairs and kitchen utensils for orphans at Plan Escalon in Honduras

Other projects supporting adoption and orphan care!

We thank all of the golfers, all who donated time and money to the golf outing, along with those who support our ministry in all of the various ways: prayer, volunteering, going on a missions trips, etc. You are each choosing to live a better story with your life. As Donald Miller says it so well, “How brightly a better story shines. How easily the world looks to it in wonder. How grateful we are to hear these stories, and how happy it makes us to repeat them.”